Heart-Mind Challenge

Research about the social and emotional development of children solidly states that the qualities that make up Heart-Mind well-being can be deliberately fostered in families, in schools and in communities.

Heart-Mind well-being refers to the balance between educating the mind and educating the heart. While there is a great focus in our society on academic achievement, research has demonstrated the positive impacts of social and emotional learning and, in fact, that heart and mind learning are interconnected.

Not only are social and emotional skills critical to being a successful student, citizen and worker, brain science shows us that many of society's problems (substance misuse, crime, violence, bullying) are actually prevented as we increase social and emotional capacity and foster Heart-Mind Well-being!

We invite you to take the Heart-Mind Challenge. A 5-week exercise dedicated to each of the five positive human qualities that make up Heart-Mind Well-being.

Equipped with background information on each Heart-Mind quality and a do-able list of activities – you choose your action to promote this quality both in yourself and with the children in your life (your classroom, your home, your neighbourhood – you choose!). You can start with any of these five Heart-Mind qualities: